1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to moisture control therapy generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to novel patient moisture control support surface coverlet and method that are economical and easily used on a variety of supporting structures.
2. Background Art
A major problem in health care facilities is with bed-bound patients who cannot turn or roll over. Failure of a patient to turn or roll over relatively frequently causes restriction of blood flow in the area of bony protruberances on a patient's body which, in turn, causes ulcerated bed, or pressure sores. Such sores are extremely long-healing and, with a chronically or terminally ill patient, frequently occur. According to hospital industry sources several years ago, it was estimated that to cure a single bed sore cost society an average of $40,000 and many patients died from bed sores.
Recently, "low-loss air beds" or mattress structures have been developed for the treatment and prevention of bed sores. In such a bed, typically, the standard mattress is replaced with a plurality of air bags disposed perpendicularly to the axis of the bed from its head to its foot. A plurality of small streams of air flow from the upper surfaces of the air bags which are covered by a polyurethane coated, vapor-permeable sheet which has a breathable, loose weave, uncoated, Nylon backing layer. The streams of air flow from the air bags, through the backing layer, and along the under surface of the vapor-permeable sheet to dry any moisture vapor which permeates through the sheet and, therefore, help remove a cause of bed sores and reduce the frequency of bedding changes. An air bed system of the type generally described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,768, issued Jun. 8, 1993, and titled BED SYSTEM, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference hereinto.
While low-loss air beds and mattress structures have greatly improved the care given immobile patients, such devices of conventional construction are relatively expensive because of the cost of construction of the air bags and because the devices require the use of air blowers that must produce a relatively high pressure air output to inflate the air bags.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide patient moisture control device and method that are economical.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such device that can be used with a variety of supporting structures.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.